With Lord Hastings stretched out in his bed, Jack ordered Frank to see about getting the submarine away from the dangerous location, while he tended to Lord Hastings’ wounds.
“You’ll have to hurry,” he exclaimed. “They know we are around here some place, and they’ll be after us like a pack of wolves.”
Frank hurried back upon the bridge, to gain his bearings. As he emerged, a hand clutched him by the throat. In vain did the lad attempt to cry out. He struck blindly at his unseen opponent, who had grabbed him from behind.
Frank threw himself to the deck, and the man who had swam aboard the submarine fell on top of him. Taken at a disadvantage for a moment by Frank’s ruse, his hold upon the lad’s throat loosened.
At the same moment the submarine was made as bright as day by the powerful rays of a searchlight which fell upon it; but this glare was a boon to Frank, for it gave him a chance to determine his opponent’s position, and he was not slow to take advantage of it.
With right and left he struck out swiftly time after time, and the Turk, badly battered, at last tumbled from the bridge and into the sea with a howl of pain.
At the same instant other figures began to clamber over the side of the submarine, where they had been attracted by the sounds of confusion.
Frank acted quickly. Jumping to his feet, he dashed below, closing the door to the bridge and conning tower after him.
“Submerge!” he cried as the doors came together with a clang.
In vain did the figures upon the top of the D-16 seek to retain a foothold. Their foundation slipped gradually away from them, until they were all left floundering in the sea.